Newt Gingrich’s Secret Service is costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars a day?

posted at 2:11 pm on April 19, 2012 by Tina Korbe

Newt Gingrich said he’d be in the presidential race until Tampa — and he’s showing every sign of keeping his word. For the most part, his presence in the race is innocent enough. Lingering supporters — who seem to have accepted that their candidate won’t win the nomination — report that they still like to listen to his speeches and, indeed, Gingrich continues to be a well-known spokesman for conservative solutions and a critic of the MSM and President Barack Obama.

But, in one respect, his presence in the race is literally costly. Gingrich’s Secret Service detail reportedly costs taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars a day:

Gingrich reportedly requested Secret Service protection in February and was granted a detail in early March. In April 2008, Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee that it was then costing the agency roughly $38,000 a day to service each candidate receiving protection, which was then just Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

A source with knowledge of the inner workings of the Gingrich campaign told The Daily Caller that Gingrich recently had three people on his personal security detail, though sometimes there are “many more.”

“Others on the campaign told me that some of the Secret Service members were even saying it was a waste of time and that he shouldn’t have it,” the source told TheDC. “Staff members thought it was ridiculous too, and just another example of Newt’s arrogance and self-importance.”

The other non-presumptive-nominee still in the race — Ron Paul — has predictably rejected Secret Service protection as a kind of “welfare.” I’d expect nothing less from the nation’s most famous libertarian.

It could be that Gingrich could just give up the SS detail rather than his entire candidacy — but, personally, I don’t want Newt Gingrich to forego needed security protection. I’d rather him ask himself: Is my candidacy — and its attendant costs — truly justified? The solution to his waste of taxpayer dollars isn’t to abandon Secret Service protection: It’s to suspend his campaign.

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It could be that Gingrich could just give up the SS detail rather than his entire candidacy — but, personally, I don’t want Newt Gingrich to forego needed security protection. I’d rather him ask himself: Is my candidacy — and its attendant costs — truly justified? The solution to his waste of taxpayer dollars isn’t to abandon Secret Service protection: It’s to suspend his campaign.

Why does he need Secret Service protection now? For the dozens who see him speak?

I would like to see a breakdown of the expenses for “tens of thousands of dollars per day.” That sounds pretty inflated and unless someone wants to show me the expense breakdown, I simply don’t believe it. Even if his secret service agents were burning money on hookers and blow at night, it still wouldn’t likely be that much.

Yes, it costs tens of thousands a day. Lodging for the agents, food and per diem expense’s. They aren’t standing around protecting the dolt 24 hours a day, so you have shifts. Transportation, and the other expenses including shipping needed equipment like metal detectors etc.

It gets expensive real quick. It’s embarrasing that Newt who has a snowballs chance in hell of getting the nod, (thank you God) is a Republican, sort of.

Months ago I said Newt had no chance. I’m from Georgia, and he barely got a third of us to vote for him. He wasn’t even on the ballot in his home state of Virgina. (Home as defined by actually living there not where he was whelped.)

Somebody get a net, and drag that lunatic back to CNN to be their token Republican commentator.

At first I thought it was a little outrageous of him staying around even though he knows he isn’t going to get the nomination. But you know, when you’re a man with an ego as big as his it’s got to be hard to admit you’ve lost. I say let the poor guy have his last few days of glory. He’s not hurting anyone, and this is probably his last attempt, so what the heck. At least he can be a voice for the GOP and a critic of the president so it’s not like he’s useless.

I agree it’s expensive. I just don’t think it’s tens of thousands per day. The agents will stay in the same hotel as the candidate and on Gingrich’s budget I’m pretty sure they’re not staying at the Ritz. They probably have a van or two to transport equipment which the agency already owns so they’re not buying new equipment. So it’s really hotels, per diem, and transportation. I would not be shocked if the campaign has to pay some of the associated costs but I don’t know either way.

I just think that “tens of thousands” per day is a bit far fetched. I would also imagine that his protective detail is at least scaled down from what it was when he was a major candidate with a shot at the nomination.

Oh, stop. Certain things about our political system are annoyingly expensive. Ok, agreed. But, it’s nothing in the grand scheme. Can we stop harping on stupid stuff like this and talk about things that matter?

Given the money that other agencies are wasting on far more stupid and useless things, I can’t bring myself to get outragously outraged at this. At least the Secret Service is supposedly doing what it’s supposed to in this case, protecting a public figure. As opposed to the GSA spending where a one hour groundbreaking is actually a week’s vacation in Hawaii.

Newt Gingrich said he’d be in the presidential race until Tampa — and he’s showing every sign of keeping his word.

Unlike Mitt Romney in 2008, when Mitt promised late in the evening of Super Tuesday to “battle all the way to the convention”, but then less than 48 hours later broke that promise and lied about his reasons for quitting (it had NOTHING to do with the War on Terror, but he claimed it did).

Let Newt keep his word and keep battling until the convention. More power to him.

Unlike Mitt Romney in 2008, when Mitt promised late in the evening of Super Tuesday to “battle all the way to the convention”, but then less than 48 hours later broke that promise and lied about his reasons for quitting (it had NOTHING to do with the War on Terror, but he claimed it did).

Let Newt keep his word and keep battling until the convention. More power to him.

This kind of thing we really can’t fault Newt for…It’s just the way it is, and each candidate can choose whether or not they want SS protection. McCain refused it in ’08 when he was running for the nomination. And if Newt utilizes it, good for him. He’s not going anywhere in this race anyway.

SS security is not given to candidates without a valid reason. If it bothers everyone so much, Mitt could set a good example and get rid of his. That way we save even more money.
The 10,000 a day is bull.These guys aren’t temps. They are on a payroll. Would you rather have them doing nothing?

Let Newt hire his own private security instead of making the taxpayers fund it.

Oh that’s right, Newt’s campaign is broke, in the hole about $5 million and is bouncing checks.

JPeterman on April 19, 2012 at 2:46 PM

So, you guys are saying that even before Romney wins in General (very long shot at this point) he already should play under different set of laws than others? Name Barak Hussein Obama ring a bell for you?

SS security is not given to candidates without a valid reason. If it bothers everyone so much, Mitt could set a good example and get rid of his. That way we save even more money.
The 10,000 a day is bull.These guys aren’t temps. They are on a payroll. Would you rather have them doing nothing?

katy the mean old lady on April 19, 2012 at 2:47 PM

Is Mitt getting SS protection now? I went to a camapign event of his back in March in Ohio and there was no SS protection then.

Sure, as long as Romney pays for his. Works both ways. Equal rights and all that…

riddick on April 19, 2012 at 2:46 PM

Newt isn’t going to be the nominee. You know, it is kind of like the debates. You have to be polling above a certain number to be able to get a spot. The same should be true for SS protection. Does Gary Johnson or Buddy Roemer have SS protection? Newt is on that level now.

The solution to his waste of taxpayer dollars isn’t to abandon Secret Service protection: It’s to suspend his campaign.

So generous of you.

I mean you could not have a political Ax to grind.

Seriously the S S cost are a result of crazy people who will harm people for crazy reasons and not Newt’s fault in the least.

Mitt sure does not seem to like playing by the rules of the game. Can not win a majority of the vote so try to force the others out of the race like you are here through others. Any dictator would do the same so no need to blame Mitt.

I mean the race had hardly started when Mitt tried to force the others out just like the old USSR.

Newt isn’t going to be the nominee. You know, it is kind of like the debates. You have to be polling above a certain number to be able to get a spot. The same should be true for SS protection. Does Gary Johnson or Buddy Roemer have SS protection? Newt is on that level now.

Resist We Much on April 19, 2012 at 2:57 PM

Laws clearly define if and when a candidate is afforded protection. BY LAW. Anyone who insist that Romney should play under different laws than Newt (and others) is just stupid, to be blunt. If we ignore laws we are no better than Hussein and Co.

Let Newt keep his word and keep battling until the convention. More power to him.

ITguy on April 19, 2012 at 2:40 PM

Fine….but let him pay for his own security.

Resist We Much on April 19, 2012 at 2:43 PM

Well, Newt probably doesn’t get as many DEATH THREATS as Sarah Palin and her family get, as well as Mitt Romney receives from the deranged left in this country, but receiving even one is enough for me. What if one of these nuts gets to Mitt Romney between now and August?

I knew Romney supporters are ignorant and poorly informed, but this is getting worse by day…

riddick on April 19, 2012 at 3:02 PM

Dude, let me make this very clear for you:

I AM NOT A ROMNEY SUPPORTER.

I am a libertarian. I dislike all of the drivers in your clown car crack-up a/k/a the Republican primary, but I promise you this:

I will crawl over broken glass to vote against Obama in November, but that is not an endorsement of ANYONE that is running for the Republican nomination.

I became a citizen in 2002. I didn’t vote in 2004 because I was called, unexpectedly, back home to care for my grandmother. In 2008, I voted against Obama by voting for McDisaster….but it took a 3 Grey Goose ‘tinis at lunch first in order to do so.

I also promise you this:

If you nominate a ChiaPet to run against Obama, I will vote for said ChiaPet in November.

Gingrich reportedly requested Secret Service protection in February and was granted a detail in early March. In April 2008, Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee that it was then costing the agency roughly $38,000 a day to service each candidate receiving protection, which was then just Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

At that rate, the Secret Service could get 38,000 / 47 = 808 Cartagena hookers. They need more bang for the buck!

The personal attacks seem a bit unseemly during this period of “unification”. Just sayin’

Besides, does anyone know if Gingrich has had specific, viable threats? No? Neither do I.

And attacking ANY person who runs for President of the United States because their ego is outsized is absurd. Humble candidate is an oxymoron. Please, someone. Name even one man or woman who runs for the office or has served in the office who is without a strong ego. Unless it’s the Pope or Uriah Heep with the false humility, a healthy ego is almost a must have personality trait.

Not all libertarians support Paul Pot. Don’t play the “Jew card” is such a callous and asinine way. It devalues the horror of what Jews have suffered. Hitler killed my dad’s great-aunt and her children along with millions more Jews. Your flippancy is a blight on their memory.

I figure as long as he’s contributing to the dialogue of the campaign he’s just as entitled to protection as anyone else in the race. Besides, sometimes he’s the only voice of reason, saying today (referring to the stupid dog tweets):

“Keynoting the Delaware Rail Splitters’ monthly meeting at Timothy’s Restaurant here, Gingrich said one reason he continues to seek the Republican nomination despite the odds is “to somehow re-arouse that conversation in the American people that… this is a country with really big problems. And we have a president who deliberately trivializes politics into junk because as long as it is distracting us from the real problems, he is better off. Because when you get to the real problems, he has no answers.”

Newt’s campaign is broke, in the hole about $5 million and is bouncing checks.

JPeterman on April 19, 2012 at 2:46 PM

The bounced check had nothing to do with lack of donations. It was written on a closed account. SecServ protection is just the way its done, and a drop in the bucket compared to what the feds waste money on each day.